November 7, 2011 · 10:32 am
There is an excellent, thought-provoking article in the current edition of the Sports Business Journal about tablet computers. The piece examines what effects the popularity of these devices have been across a number of sectors in the sports business. Sponsor rights, media distribution, and on-field use are just a few of the areas in which tablets are having an impact. Disruptive doesn’t begin to describe it.

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One thing I did notice as the article ran through the issues (which I’ll discuss in a minute) is that the way in which many of the parties involved have tried to deal with this new round peg is to try to fit it in the same square holes as other things without much success. Let me explain. Continue reading →
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Filed under digital media, sports business
Tagged as Cable television, digital media, IPad, Mobile device, Mobile phone, National Football League, NFL, sports business, Tablet, Tablet computer, technology
October 11, 2011 · 8:52 am

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I was watching the Chicago Bears play the Detroit Lions last night. I’m not sure if you watched, but the first quarter of the game was a mess – lots of penalties and a couple of challenges to rulings on the field using instant replay. I flashed back to when the NFL put in the current replay system. Some of us at the networks were a little concerned that suddenly what we were doing could become part of the game instead of us just covering what was happening since they use TV coverage to look at the calls. The concern was about a missed camera angle or a technical problem changing the outcome.
That hasn’t been an issue for the most part, and the replay system has been a good thing in my mind. After all, events move very fast on the field and it’s not always easy to get it right all the time. Sound like your work day? It does to me, and it raises a thought. Continue reading →
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Filed under Helpful Hints, Thinking Aloud
Tagged as business, Business and Economy, Business operations, Business process, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, football, Instant replay, management, managing, National Football League, NFL, Sport, sports, Strategic management, Television, Videotape
August 2, 2011 · 8:33 am

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I’m glad the NFL lockout is over and not just as a fan. I have a number of friends who work for the league and having lived through a missed season during my time with the NHL I know that those folks were not having a leisurely Summer while things worked themselves out. There have been more than enough diatribes about billionaires fighting millionaires so that’s not today’s discussion. Instead, I want to talk about some news I read over the weekend that provides a great business lesson to us all.
The Colts redid Peyton Manning‘s contract. That’s not huge news but the fact that he insisted on taking less money than the team offered him is. It’s his thinking that’s the great point for the rest of us. Continue reading →
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Filed under Helpful Hints, sports business
Tagged as business, business thinking, Indianapolis Colts, life lessons, management, managing, National Football League, NFL, Peyton Manning, sports, sports business, teamwork